WRITTEN warnings aimed to make speeding motorists think twice are being ditched and replaced by fines and points on driving licences.
Barnsley’s four police hubs - in the town centre, Goldthorpe, Kendray and Royston - have been using mobile speed guns to gather data at speeding hotspots across the town which have been fed in by the public.
Speeding vehicles, which have been a policing priority at crime meetings throughout the borough at some point in the last year, led each team to deliver training to PCSOs in order for them to use the gun and operations took place on notorious speeding locations including Ben Bank Road, Silkstone Common; Sandy Bridge Lane, Shafton; Fish Dam Lane, Carlton; Burton Road, Monk Bretton; Huddersfield Road, Penistone and Mortimer Road, Cubley.
Early measures saw those caught issued with warnings to watch their speed but the Chronicle can reveal this approach - which was criticised by local residents for being too soft - will now be axed as enforcement is stiffened up.
Sgt Brad Wynne said: “It’s a problem across Barnsley. No matter whereabouts you are, whether it’s Royston or Penistone, there’s an issue with speeding vehicles.
“Areas such as Kendray, which don’t have many open roads like you get in Penistone, still have their problems with it and that’s where the mobile speed guns come in.”
The method can only be used on roads with 30mph and 40mph limits due to calibration issues, but anyone caught speeding by a mobile speed gun will now receive usual punishments of a fine and points.
Police are also able to recruit and train volunteers to use the guns and catch out speeding motorists plaguing more localised residential areas.
The scheme - dubbed community speed watch - has been set up by police in Barnsley, which allows members of the public to be trained in how to use the devices so they can go out on operations with PCSOs.
Unlike police-only operations where drivers can be fined, volunteer-led schemes with PCSOs’ assistance revert to the warning letter approach before action can be taken against repeat offenders.
Sgt Dave Baines said: “Advice has been given out before, even when police officers were in charge of the operations, and drivers haven’t faced action as yet.
“It was important to give them a chance to act and reduce their speeds, but now all police officer-led operations will result in fines and points if a motorist is caught driving above the limit.
“The message to residents is that we are listening, we are well aware speeding remains a huge issue in Barnsley and action will be taken to stop it from happening.”
Residents have also been encouraged to report hotspots to the South Yorkshire Safety Camera Partnership - which is part of the South Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership - in the hope of securing better signage, including signs warning about speed cameras working in the area, which could be installed.
“The community can email in their suggestions and I encourage them to do so,” PC Jason Pearson added. “If people put in their concerns, the road will be assessed to see if it’s suitable for speed checks.
“As it stands, no Barnsley areas have adopted this approach as yet as it’s reliant on residents’ information. Better signage, which warns motorists about cameras, does slow down traffic as we have seen elsewhere in South Yorkshire.
“The more issues raised, the better chance we have of taking action. We have been carrying out more speed checks in recent months but the locations we have been at have come from meetings such as PACTs and crime and safeties, so by using the online reporting tool we will be able to build up a bigger picture.”
n Visit safetycamera.org to report any hotspots.
